Faith (pt. 30)

Selection from True Christian Religion ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
(Continued pt. 30)

VII. THE LORD IS CHARITY AND FAITH IN MAN, AND MAN IS CHARITY AND FAITH IN THE LORD.

That the man of the church is in the Lord and the Lord in him, can be seen from the following passes in the Word:

Jesus said, Abide in Me, and I in you; I am the Vine and ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me and I in him, the same beareth much fruit (John 15:4, 5). 

He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me and I in him (John 6:56).

In that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you (John 14:20).

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him and he in God (1 John 4:15).

Yet man himself cannot be in the Lord, but charity and faith that are in him from the Lord, from which two he is essentially man. But in order to make this arcanum somewhat clear to the understanding, it shall be investigated in the following order:

(1) It is by conjunction with God that man has salvation and eternal life.

(2) Conjunction with God the Father is not possible, but only conjunction with the Lord, and through Him with God the Father.

(3) Conjunction with the Lord is reciprocal, that is, the Lord is in man and man in the Lord.

(4) This reciprocal conjunction is effected by means of charity and faith. The truth of these propositions will be obvious from the following explanation.

(True Christian Religion 368)

To be continued...